cancer antigen CA 50 in serum

Clinical significance

• antigen is similar to CA 19-9, but lacks a fucose
• the epitope would then be sialylated lacto-N-pentaose II
• the antigen is related to the Lewis blood group substance
• only Le(a-b-) patients will be CA 50 positive

CA 19-9, CA 19-5 & CA 50 in serum are elevated in:

• gastric carcinoma
• pancreatic carcinoma
• hepatocellular carcinoma

Use of both CA 19-9 & CA 50 can improve sensitivity.

CA 19-9, CA 19-5 & CA 50 may be also elevated by cholestasis.

Increases

• gastric carcinoma
• pancreatic carcinoma
• hepatocellular carcinoma
• cholestasis

More general terms

• test for tumor antigen

Additional terms

• breast cancer
• cancer antigen CA 19-9 (carbohydrate antigen 19-9) in serum